The Explanation
by drwhofangirl591
Summary: Sequel to More Than an Alien. The Doctor tries to explain his thoughts and feelings to Donna
1. Chapter 1

**Summary:** Sequel to More Than An Alien. The Doctor tries to explain his thoughts and feelings to Donna.

**Disclaimer:** Owned by the BBC

Donna awoke to find the Doctor in the exact same position that she had left him before falling back asleep last night. She decided to let him sleep since it was rare when he did.

Lifting off the covers, Donna slowly swung herself off of the bed trying not to disturb the Time Lord. Donna looked down and realized that she was still wearing the clothes from yesterday and sighed in relief. Okay, he didn't change my clothes for me, good.

Donna grabbed a fresh shirt and pants out of her wardrobe and tiptoed her way to her bathroom. Half way there she looked over her shoulder at the Doctor and saw that his dark eyes were wide open.

"Morning!" Donna pivoted on her heel and stood with her hands on her hips.

"Were you awake the whole time?"

"Yep!" The Doctor sprang off of Donna's bed, stood and stretched. He reminded Donna of a cat stretching after a nap.

"How long have you been up then?"

"Since I last woke you up last night. I told I don't sleep much. So what should we do today? Anywhere special you were thinking? I was thinking about the Lunar Cheese Factory in the 59th century. They give out free samples during the tour and you haven't lived til you've had moon cheese! What'd you think, how 'bout it?"

Donna just stared at him clothes still in hand.

"Oh right! I should probably leave and let you get dressed. I'll go start breakfast." The Doctor quickly made for the exit.

Donna stood in the middle of her room for a few seconds watching the door to ensure that the Doctor was gone. Maybe it was just her, but the Doctor seemed extra hyper this morning. Shrugging she entered the bathroom and prepared for whatever the Time Lord had in store for her.

The Doctor paced the kitchen floor. He was trying to think of an easy way of explaining his mental meanderings from last night.

They usually had interesting conversations over breakfast so perhaps he could bring it up and ease into it. The kettle began as Donna made her way to the table. The Doctor poured the steaming liquid into two mugs. As Donna reached for a slice of toast her tea was delivered to her. The Doctor finally sat down across from her, uncharacteristically silent.

Donna spared him a glance and saw that he was staring intently at her. "What? Have I got something on my face?"

"What? No!"

"Well then, what is it? Ten minutes ago you wouldn't shut up about cheese and now you're as silent as the grave."

"It's about last night-"

"Oh my gawd! Did you? Did I? Did we? We didn't! But-"

"Donna. Donna, calm down it's not like that!" He reached across the table and gently grabbed her hands. It hurt him a little to think that the thought of them being together was so odious to her.

"Just let me explain. That's not what I was going to say." Gradually Donna regained her composure.

"Remember last night when I startled you? I said that something had occurred to me?"

He released her hands, sliding them back across the table slowly. "Yeah, I remember. So what's it about, Spaceman?"

The Doctor took a second to compose his thoughts before starting. He hoped that this would all make sense and that it wouldn't turn into one of his long winded rambles. Unfortunately, it would.

"So last night I was thinking about how all my companions react when I tell them that I'm not human, I just look like one, and I think they forget I'm not after awhile." He paused to make sure Donna was following; she nodded for him to continue.

"Anyways, I began going over all of the meanings, uses, and definitions of the word human. And here is what I discovered: a human is a member of the species Homo sapiens. Or has characteristic of humans as distinguished from gods. OR one who has the appearance of or performs the functions of a specified creature. Then I thought `what about the word man?' Well that word also has several meanings like an adult male person… Yes Donna?"

The redhead was sitting in her chair with her hand raised, resembling a school girl. "Is there going to be an exam at the end? Cuz if there is should I be taking notes?"

"What? No. There's no exam. I'm trying to be serious here." The Doctor attempted to look stern but the result was Donna bursting into a fit of laughter. He stood and again paced back and forth. Donna managed to control her giggles.

"Sorry. This is going somewhere right?"

"Yes. Almost there. Where was I? Oh yeah! Now the word man has two other meanings that I almost overlooked. It can mean husband, as in man and wife; or it can mean lover or suitor. "

As the Doctor finished this last statement he came to a standstill and locked eyes with Donna. She tried to read him but was having trouble pinning down which emotion was in his eyes.

"Out of all my companions, you're the only one who never forgets what I am. And after contemplating all these things I realized that I might be more human than I thought. So what's it going to take to make you realize that I'm not just an alien, I'm a man and I have feelings and needs just like humans."

The intensity of the Time Lord's stare increased as Donna sat trying to piece all it together.

"…Doctor what are you saying?"

In a few swift motions, the Doctor swiveled Donna in her chair and was crouched in front of her, her hands in his cool grasp.

"Donna, what I'm saying is… I love you and I want to be more than just friends."

Donna hastily pulled her hands from his grasp and without warning slapped the unsuspecting alien. The Doctor fell back onto the floor in shock holding his sore cheek.

TCB


	2. In His Dreams

**Summary: ** Continuation of "The Explanation"

**A/N: ** Not my best work, but then again I didn't originally intend to extend the original story this much. Please enjoy and beware my sad attempt at humor.

As the Doctor sat holding his cheek his vision began to blur and everything around him including Donna began fading into blackness.

He felt a hand grab his arm.

He was trembling.

No, wait.

"Doctor… Doctor! Wake up!"

He was being shaken.

Donna sat next to the Time Lord on her bed trying none too gently to wake him. The Doctor's eyes shot open to find Donna hovering over him.

"Donna? What?" The Doctor squeaked as he sat up and looked around the room, utterly baffled.

"I was asleep! It was all a dream?"

"I don't know what you're on about, but you were hogging the covers Sunshine." To prove her point Donna gave the comforter a good tug and pulled it away from the Doctor who didn't seem to notice.

"Typical bloke."

"But it seemed so real!" The Doctor hopped off the bed ignoring her. Donna watched him as he paced around the room obviously disturbed by whatever his dream was about.

"Ya'know Spaceman, dreams just are like that sometimes. I remember this one time I had a dream that I went out shopping and bought this really cute outfit. When I woke up the next morning I decided to wear it and went looking for it in my wardrobe! Imagine my surprise when I couldn't find it and realized it was a dream."

The Doctor stopped his pacing and gave her his `not helping' glares.

"So… What was yours about?"

"It couldn't have been a dream cuz you were there and I was –" The Doctor was abruptly cut off.

"Wait! Let me guess, there was also a scarecrow, a lion, and a man made of tin involved? I had better not been the Wicked Witch!"

"Donna if I had a dream like that I would make sure that you were the Witch of the East."

"Oi! Isn't she the one that the house falls on?"

"Oh sorry. I meant Glinda!"

"Yeah I thought so."

"Anyway. It wasn't like that. It's just… Oh this is silly! Never mind, it's nothing."

Donna wanted to believe him, but the disappointment behind his eyes said otherwise. She got off the bed and approached him. Pulling him into a hug, Donna tried to comfort him, "Whatever it was, you can tell me."

She gave him a small grin when she pulled back to look him in the eye causing the Doctor to smile in return.

"Alright. I'll tell you. I dreamed that we were having breakfast like normal and I wanted to tell you something important. Then you slapped me and I woke up. The end!"

"Wait, do you remember what you said that made me slap you? I usually have a good reason to slap someone, especially you."

"Umm yes, but it's not important." He stated hoping she would move on.

"Oh come on, tell me. Please! I want to know what you think of me in your dreams." Donna said in a sultry voice. "So out with it!"

Admittedly it wasn't the first time Donna had appeared in his dreams, but it was definitely the only time she had hit him. The Doctor tried to distract her by changing the subject instead.

"Speaking of breakfast, are you hungry? I'm famished! I could make something or on second thought I know this fantastic little diner in the Centauri Nebula, they make the galaxy's best pancakes! I'll go set a course while you get ready."

The Doctor attempted to exit her room but he realized that he was still in the redhead's grasp. Their hug had lingered somewhat and they hadn't quite disengaged. The Time Lord was trapped.

"Not so fast Doctor. You're not leaving this room til I get the full story."

"Is that a promise or a threat?" He asked coyly.

"Doctor…" The fiery temp warned as she gave his arm a pinch.

"Ow! I assure you Donna, it's nothing. Just a dream is all. Now will you let me go?"

"No! I want to know what you said that caused me to slap you!"

Knowing that Donna could argue until kingdom come, the Doctor decided to tell her. She would only keep pestering him if he didn't.

"Perhaps a cup of coffee first?"

"You're stalling, so it must be good." Donna teased.

"Oh alright. In my dream… I told you... that I loved you." The Doctor braced himself for another slap.

Donna was silent for a moment before she burst out laughing. It wasn't quite her normal laugh; there was a hint of nervousness behind it. This was not quite the response the Doctor expected, but it was better than her hand print on his face so he let it slide.

"Well it's no wonder I hit you, I was probably trying to smack some sense into that giant head of yours!"

"So you're not angry?" The Doctor asked cautiously.

Donna let go of his arms and stepped away from him. She busied herself with making the bed to hide the fact that her hands had begun to tremble and to avoid making eyes contact.

"Angry? Why would I be angry? Like you said it was just a dream. And we both know that things between us aren't like that so there's nothing to worry about."

She finished making the bed and turned to see the Doctor still standing there as if frozen to the spot. The look on his face surprised her. It was contorted with hurt and regret. Donna tried to lighten his mood by reminding him of their plans.

"So pancakes from the Centaur nebula eh?" The Doctor grinned at her mispronunciation and at her attempt to mimic his inflection and intonation. "Sounds good. I'll get ready.

"The Centauri Nebula." He corrected as he headed for the consol room.

Donna ran to her wardrobe and began searching for a fresh outfit, since she had slept in the one from yesterday. The Doctor had only been gone for 2.08 minutes, yes he was counting, before reappearing in her doorway. She didn't notice him until he spoke.

"What if it wasn't just a dream?"

His companion spun around at the sound of his voice. "What do you mean?"

Entering the room once again, the Lord of Time walked over to Donna and stood directly in front of her. His powerful gaze held her attention.

"What if I said that I really do love you? That it wasn't just a crazy thing that I said in a dream. What would you do Donna?"

"Well to start I'd say that you're mad and refuse to believe you." Donna was having trouble comprehending the situation. "Doctor, is this some kind of joke? Why are you acting like this?"

"Because Donna, I love you!" Before Donna could say another word, he cradled her face with his hand and bringing her towards him, captured her lips, kissing her slowly. He would have loved to deepen their embrace but held back, easing into the situation. Eventually he pulled away eager to see Donna's reaction. To his relief, Donna was smiling.

"I was wondering when you were going to get around to this. And I'm sure glad that it was you that confessed first." Donna's sincere smile turned into a sly grin.

Her statement took the Doctor by surprise and left him babbling incoherently. "What? But how did you? Wait, you mean that you?"

"Oh would shut your gob and kiss me already!"

Pulling her to him he asked, "Have I ever told you how brilliant you are?"

"A few times." With that, the Doctor took possession of her lips once more relishing everything about her. Needless to say their trip to the Centauri Nebula had to be rescheduled as they were preoccupied with other, more important business.

The End.


End file.
